The Tigray region of Ethiopia has declared a three days of mourning as it started on Friday to inform parents about their sons/daughters’ who died during the two years war that is said to have claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.
The three days of mourning are effective as of Saturday, the regional state television has announced. Entertainment activities are suspended as bereaved families are mourning their losses.
The regional administration has not disclosed the total number of its fighters killed during the war between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration.
During the three days “Martyrs” will be remembered and parents will be informed about the losses of their sons and daughters.
A report by DW Amharic indicated that cultural and religious practices of sharing grieves are occurring in all parts of the region.
The regional interim administration has formed multiple committees to coordinate various activities related to the three days of mourning.
According to DW Amharic, and from the process of informing parents about their loss, many of those killed in the war are in their early or mid twenties. Before joining the fight on the part of the TPLF, many of those killed were either students or working.
The Federal gov’t
Recently, there was a report in the state owned media that the government issued certificates for the families of members of the Ethiopian Defense Force killed during the war with TPLF between 2020 and 2022.
Like the TPLF, the Federal governments did not disclose the number of soldiers killed during the war.
Olusegun Obasanjo, former Nigerian president who is said to have “facilitated” the process leading to the Pretoria agreement on behalf of the African union, estimated about one million deaths on both sides.
The war started in November 2020 when the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) reportedly attacked several posts of the Northern Command of the Ethiopian Defense Force in what was then described as a “pre-emptive” strike.
Information released by the Eritrean government after the Pretoria agreement indicated that as many as 3000 Ethiopian soldiers were killed when the TPLF attacked Ethiopian soldiers in November 2020.
Apart from Tigray region, Afar and Amhara regions were devastated by the war.
Source: Borkena
